The Professor was quite intrigued by the Gajalaka elder's request.
According to the elder and the leader, their tribe consisted of nearly a hundred members, and their range of activity radiated across hundreds of square kilometers.
Like most Lynians, Gajalaka did not have a habit of boasting or lying; this was already a significantly large Gajalaka tribe and were true indigenous inhabitants of the region.
With their dedicated assistance, there was almost nothing in these mountains and forests they couldn't find.
"What do you need us to do?" the Professor replied in the Gajalaka language. "Help you gather more food? Or help deal with a powerful enemy?"
As he spoke, the Professor considered the possibilities.
The social structure of the Gajalaka was relatively primitive and simple; almost all their needs revolved around one core concept, survival.
From this perspective, the Gajalaka's request shouldn't stray far from those few options.
Considering that the Gajalaka's activity zone overlapped with the Glavenus the Hunters had dealt with earlier that day, the probability that they were asking for help hunting the Glavenus was quite high.
If that were indeed the case, it couldn't be better.
Gajalaka were known for being very honorable; they wouldn't go back on their word just because a request was fulfilled ahead of time. It would mean the investigation team wouldn't have to do any extra work to gain a large group of helpful allies familiar with the environment.
However, the Gajalaka's actual request differed somewhat from the Professor's guess.
The Gajalaka elder looked around warily. "Is there… a more enclosed… safer place… to talk.
In the forest… there are its offspring… its eyes… many eyes."
Behind his thick lenses, the Professor's eyes narrowed slightly.
This description clearly didn't refer to a Glavenus; he began to develop other suspicions.
"Follow me."
The Professor gestured to lead the way. The two Gajalaka, Altaïr, and Isis, who was still lingering there with "glass bottle" and the young Gajalaka, all followed.
On the way to the central tent of the camp, the Professor translated what the Gajalaka elder had mentioned for Altaïr.
Altaïr felt the hair on his arms stand up. "What are they talking about? That doesn't sound like an ordinary Monster."
"Don't be too nervous," the Professor's tone remained steady as always. "The Gajalaka have lived in the wild for generations and have a different understanding of nature and all things than we do.
For example, clouds are Monsters floating in the sky, and thunder is their roar when they are angry, you understand what I mean?"
Altaïr nodded in realization.
The Gajalaka elder could understand the common human tongue, so the Professor didn't speak too bluntly to avoid being rude.
Simply put, the Gajalaka were quite "superstitious," so things that seemed perfectly normal to humans sounded mystical and eerie when described by them.
The group entered the tent.
The Professor specifically instructed Altaïr to lower the tent flap and told Isis to stand guard outside. This didn't serve much practical purpose, but having a "powerful warrior" guarding the door would make the Gajalaka elder and his companion feel at ease.
The "glass bottle" was also gestured out by the Gajalaka leader to keep Isis company at the door. Once in a relatively enclosed environment, the Gajalaka elder and the leader clearly relaxed quite a bit. They exchanged a look and removed the bundles from their backs.
The Gajalaka leader pulled open the coarse hide wrap and poured out the contents.
Inside were several orange-red wings of varying sizes, identical to the one "glass bottle" had given Altaïr before.
In addition to these, there was the broken carcass of an insect that looked like some kind of beetle, dark red in shell and spindle-shaped.
"These are... gifts in return for the food," the Gajalaka elder said in a low, ghostly tone. "The children of my tribe used these as gifts to draw you here.
We did not know why you humans would... seek these out. Are they precious to you?
If so, then we... perhaps... have the same goal."
Just as I thought, the Professor mused to himself.
While ordinary Gajalaka were mostly reckless and dim-witted, as the leader and elder of the tribe, the two before him were far more calculating.
They had likely noticed the investigation team's arrival long ago and guessed they were here because of that wing; the business with the meat had merely served as an opportunity.
However, they might have misunderstood one thing: neither these wings nor the insect carcasses themselves were particularly precious to humans.
What was truly valuable was the information hidden behind them.
The Professor had no intention of hiding anything; there was no point in playing games with Gajalaka. He answered quite bluntly: "We call this insect the 'Star Butterfly.'
We are indeed here for it, or to be more precise, we are here for the creature behind it. Do you know where it is?
Also, the help you're asking of us... it's related to that fellow, isn't it?"
The Gajalaka elder spoke, "Yes. We call it... the Star Beast. These Starbugs... they are its offspring, and its eyes. They watch over... these mountains and forests."
"I see. So, what do you want us to do?"
"Kill it." Compared to the elder, the Gajalaka leader's voice was much hoarser.
When it said this, it didn't look at the Professor, but stared directly at Altaïr standing beside him.
In the leader's eyes, the small and elderly Professor was clearly a figure similar to their own tribe's elder. Altaïr, clad in armor and possessing an obviously higher level of martial prowess, had to be the leader of these humans.
It had actually suspected Isis earlier.
She was also clearly a powerful warrior, but since the Professor had ordered her to guard the door, and given the way the Professor kept translating for Altaïr, the leader was further convinced of Altaïr's "leadership" status.
The Professor realized this but had no interest in correcting the misconception. He simply continued translating what the Gajalaka had said for Altaïr.
After all, whether it was deep-range scouting or combat, the Hunters were the ones who carried it out. Calling Olivia over now would only lead to more misunderstandings and speculation; telling Altaïr and letting him pass it on later would achieve the same result.
Altaïr was a bit dazed by what he heard. "So we're supposed to do as they ask and hunt this 'Star Beast'?"
"Estrellian. That is the Monster's name," the Professor corrected. "A creature of intense mystery that, until now, existed only in poetry and historical documents." "Because our understanding is so limited, we are currently unable to classify it."
"Are there any records of it being hunted? What is its approximate danger level?" Altaïr pressed.
This wasn't just a Hunter's instinct; they were likely heading into combat. For the safety of his companions and himself, he had to clarify these fundamental details before discussing anything else.
"There is no need to be so tense." The Professor adjusted his glasses. "The Estrellian is a Monster of mild temperament. The Guild has assigned it a danger level of 4★, though its actual combat capability is legendary for being even lower than that of a typical 4★ Monster.
Since their existence was confirmed, they have primarily inhabited the Esther Lake region of the Schrade western region (Note). To date, there has never been a single recorded incident of one attacking a human.
It is precisely for this reason that our understanding of them is extremely limited."
"I don't understand." Altaïr looked puzzled. "If it's a Monster with a fixed habitat and a relatively low danger level, why is so little known about it?"
A mild temperament and no history of attacking humans leads to a lack of research and limited understanding?
That didn't make sense. A Duramboros is also mild-tempered and rarely attacks humans, yet is human knowledge of them lacking? Even Isis knows that the meat from a Duramboros's hump is delicious.
Humans are, after all, creatures well-known for "giving an inch and taking a mile."
Sensing the hidden implication in Altaïr's words, the Professor remained silent for a few seconds before explaining:
"The Estrellian itself is not dangerous, but research suggests that the Estrellian may only be the juvenile state of the species. Its mature form possesses far greater power.
Furthermore, according to ancient texts, the Estrellian is a 'fell beast' that brings calamity."
*
Note: In the setting, Estrellians do not have a fixed habitat. The claim here that Esther Lake is their habitat is a misunderstanding born of the Guild's limited knowledge.
In my interpretation, Esther Lake is the Estrellian "nursery" — or at least, their current one.
On a side note:
The setting places Esther Lake in the Schrade western region, at the foot of the Shilton Hills. Kokoto Village is also located there; it's practically in someone's backyard.
(Translated by yourtl.app)